A foundry in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania has been cited by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 26 safety violations. Seven of the OSHA findings were said to involve repeat violations. Also, 16 of the violations were listed as serious – a serious violation being one where the substantial probability of serious injury or death could come about due to one of these hazards.
A director of OSHA stressed that the foundry was placing workers at risk of serious injury or death by not correcting the hazards. The company is now facing $164,240 in proposed fines.
The workers were apparently exposed to the danger of falling due to platforms not being guarded by railings or open-sided floors. Various pieces of equipment were also apparently unguarded. There were also said to be a number of electrical hazards at the workplace as well. When you add all of these violations together, we are looking at a workplace where accidents are waiting to occur.
Workers’ compensation laws were put in place to hold employers accountable for workplace accidents. This is in part because the employer is the one that sets the conditions for what goes on at the workplace. As in the above circumstances employers may not put any safety procedures in place until the company is charged with a safety violation or an accident actually occurs. In any event, workers may still wish to speak to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to gain an understanding of the entire process.
Unfortunately, workers do not always understand that they are qualified for workers’ compensation benefits when they are injured upon the job. This is in part because that the workers’ compensation area is governed by a number of laws procedures. Also, workers do not always understand their options. Finally, workers may be under the mistaken assumption that a denial of a claim is the end of the matter.
Source: WorkersCompensation.com, “PA Foundry Gets Hefty Fine for Serious Repeat Violations,” Feb. 26, 2014
